Last year, Alexis advised people heading to Coachella on the plateaus and pitfalls of getting awesome in the music festival circuit. She wrote her entry from a wistful yet wise point-of-view, dispensing such sage advice as “your sunglasses will be in every photo – if they are the weak link in your bag, fix it” and “fanny packs are critical for hands-free partying.” This year she is attending Coachella and shares her motivations for returning below.

The countdown is on, my friends. Seven days!

I have been to Coachella before. In fact, I wrote a blog post last year about my experiences in Indio and how to best prepare for the ensuing mayhem. While experiencing some remorse over not going again, I reasoned that I had made the pilgrimage to Coachella before and that it was time to cross other goals off my list.

I was wrong. What I realized while gazing at my pal’s mobile uploads all festival weekend (yes, I am a masochist) was that sometimes an occasion is so awesome that hitting it twice is the right answer.

So now what? My ticket, accommodation and flights are booked. My mates and I are already planning the Ace Hotel and Trader Joe’s visits. I’ve replaced 2011’s acronym F.O.M.O. with W.W.Z.S.D. (what-would-Zoe-Saldana-do) for outfit inspiration. All that’s left is the music.

Oh yeah – the music! With all the VIP-poolside-margarita-hotel-hopping-palm-tree distractions, it’s easy to forget that Coachella is all about the tunes. Last time I went, my buddy Eric made a playlist that we ended up playing on repeat the entire weekend. It was a great way to get familiar with lesser-known acts; to this day I still associate Bloc Party, Wolfmother and Gnarls Barkley together with our 2006 Coachella “soundtrack.”

Without further ado, here is my 2012 Can’t-Miss Coachella Playlist. It’s impossible to get all of my favourite acts on one list (the festival really is THAT big) so feel free to add your favourites and get the party started.

2012 can’t-miss coachella playlist

*Please note: due to certain, ahem, “restrictions” we are no longer able to list these songs in downloadable playlist format. We are working on a solution soon so we can continue sharing the sound love with you.

santigold – disparate youth
Santigold is probably in my top three of artists I am most excited to see. The buzz surrounding her live shows is ferocious.

the weeknd – the morning
The Prince-esque guitar, the unabashed crooning, the auto-tune, the collaborations with Drake…invest in The Weeknd because this show is guaranteed money in the bank. Do yourself a favour and listen to some Frank Ocean while you’re at it.

the black angels – young men dead
I first got to know The Black Angels after one of their songs was featured in Red Bull’s seriously awesome “Art Of Flight” snowboarding video from last winter. If the apocalypse comes as promised this year, “Young Men Dead” will be my soundtrack.

justice – civilization
French people know how to dance. They know how to party. They can wear scarves without looking like twits and eat cheese without gaining weight. Let’s just face it: they’re cooler than the rest of us.

pulp – common people
Between Madness, Tim Armstrong, Mazzy Star and Pulp, the old school acts at Coachella this year are legit. Watching Jarvis Cocker strut his stuff is a can’t miss.

beirut – santa fe
Santa Fe = the catchiest song of 2011. Beirut is producing some of the most innovative music in recent memory. Get into it.

miike snow – paddling out
Okay, I already loved Miike Snow in a borderline-creepy way…and then they released their most recent album and full-on obsession gripped my headphones.

kaskade – 4 am
Kaskade may fall into guilty pleasure territory (see also: David Guetta and Avicii) but I don’t care. We all know these shows are going to be the hot mix so pack your dancing shoes and let’s make it happen.

explosions in the sky – your hand in mine
If you’re looking for a timeout from beat-heavy hip-hop and electro dance parties, check these guys out. Their most recent album is interesting all the way through and only gets better with every listen.

childish gambino – freaks and geeks
The lyrics to this song are so clever. I have a feeling that Childish Gambino is going to be huge so catch him here for “I saw him when…” memories years from now.

bon iver – calgary
It’s always an incredible experience watching an artist perform at the pinnacle of their career. Justin Vernon is known for his interesting live collaborations – let’s hope he has some tricks up his sleeves.

radiohead – weird fishes arpeggi
Thom and the crew are known for pulling Neil Young-style “we’re not playing anything but our latest album’s tracks” antics on tour…but if I have one wish it’s that they put this gem on their playlist.

dr. dre featuring snoop dogg – nuthin’ but a g thang
While you may not listen to these dudes on the regular anymore, this is a Coachella must. Snoop’s never been caught slippin’ – make sure you aren’t either and make this show a priority.

azaelia banks – 212
This is going to be a CRAZY SHOW. Believe it.

the horrors – still life
A favourite of music bloggers everywhere, this could be the sleeper hit of the entire festival.

girl talk – play your part (part 1)
The raging debate about the legitimacy of mash-up artists aside, Girl Talk is going to be a PARTY. Get sweaty in the crowd or safely observe how crazy humans can get from afar.

david guetta featuring kid cudi – memories
78 million views on YouTube can’t be a coincidence. Guetta is FUN – get over the street cred and turn up the party (this also applies to Kaskade, Avicii and anything else that hurts to the hipster bone).

florence and the machine – cosmic love
This show is going to be one for the books. Let’s hope the festival planners put Florence and company on during the gorgeous Indio sunset.

st. vincent – marrow
Every track on St. Vincent’s third album “Strange Mercy” is absolutely magical. Check her out if you need a little mellow time in between party acts.

Hopefully this playlist will give you ideas for your own list. Alexis will be one of 20,000 girls wearing a fringe purse, jean cutoffs, bohemian blouse and taking Instagram photos (she knows she’s being SUPER original )– give her a high five if you see her in Indio!